Wurlitzer winding phonograph?

[gramophoneshane]

I've never seen a Wurlitzer decal on a machine before, only the brass plaque.
I looks like the design is based on the Victor Consolette (to me), so it probably dates from the mid to late 20's.
The cabinet looks like it would clean up fairly easily, so it's well worth saving IMO.
Is there a manufacturers name on the motor, or perhaps on the soundbox on the end of the tonearm?

[tamuchick02]

We took it apart, that is why the motor is on top. There was the arm and the round thing which holds the needle, but that was damaged and does not have a name that i saw right away, but I can look more closely. There is no name on the motor, just a number. There is nothing inside- just the motor and a wooden sound box/ internal horn. THere is a needle for spinning slow or fast and a metal thingy (technical term) that looks as if it would stop the tray spinnging.

So did Wurlitzer really make it, do you think?

[estott]

I'd say Wurlitzer made at least part of it. Many makers of off-brand machines like this were piano builders like Wurlitzer. They had the wood working machinery to build the cases. Most times the inside parts like the arm and motor were bought from someone else.

A lot of piano makers tried to go into the phonograph business in the 20's when sales of pianos slowed down- with a phonograph in the house fewer people wanted to learn how to play the piano.

[JohnM]

The patents held by the Victor Talking Machine Company that allowed it to control the lateral disc record and phonograph business began to expire in earnest in 1916, and by 1917, virtually anyone could engage in the manufacture and/or sale of lateral disc products in the US without fear of being sued out of existence by Victor's legal department. Some companies such as Brunswick already had woodworling facilities and machine shops and it was relatively simple for them to produce complete machines. Others, produced only cabinets and used third-party sonic hardware and motors for the phonograph within the cabinet. Still others were simply a decal -- they purchased complete phonographs made by a third-party manufacturer and a decal was applied branding that machine. Sometimes identical phonographs may be found with different decals. Since Wurlitzer (a major supplier, manufacturer, and importer) of all sorts of musical instruments had showrooms or dealers in most major cities, your 'Wurlitzer' brand machine is probably one of those branded machines that Wurlitzer stocked as a (low) price point for those customers that could not afford the expensive Victor line, or perhaps it was marketed after Wurlitzer's agreement with Victor expired (if indeed it did, I don't know). Wurlitzer may have made the cabinets, but just as likely purchased the machines already completed. These 'branded' generic machines -- while occupying a unique place in phonograph history -- are not significant on an individual basis because they are usually low-end models produced at a time when the phonograph had become ubiquitous and many equivalent machines were made and sold.

The part that actually produces the sound is called a reproducer. It is attached to a tone arm. The speed is adjusted using the speed control, and the part that stops and starts the turntable spinning is called the brake. You will need to buy a quantity of needles, since each needle is used only once and then discarded. Using a needle more than once will damage the record.

[phonophan79]

Another phonograph with a Wurlitzer tag... this one still has Victrola decals tho.

[brianu]

ouch... that looks like a badly faded, if not stripped, 4-40.

[SonnyPhono]

Here is a VV-110 with a Wurlitzer tag. I forgot all about it. It was the second phonograph I ever bought.

[pellicano1]

I know this posting is 10 years old but I recently acquired a Wurlitzer phonograph. The mystery continues!! See photos! Has a straight wooden horn. Heineman 2 spring motor. It took me a while to get the proper tone arm setup but she is now complete! Thoughts?

Link to her in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIY3WW4_wYw

[OrthoFan]

I know this posting is 10 years old but I recently acquired a Wurlitzer phonograph. The mystery continues!! See photos! Has a straight wooden horn. Heineman 2 spring motor. It took me a while to get the proper tone arm setup but she is now complete! Thoughts?

Link to her in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIY3WW4_wYw

That's very close in style to the "Consolette" model manufactured for Sears and sold under their "Tru-Phonic" brand name. (SEE: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=34622 ) In fact, from what I can tell after looking over various images of Tru-Phonic models, it shares many of the same components.

I also spotted this -- FROM -- https://newspaperarchive.com/piqua-dail ... -1927-p-2/

My guess would be, sometime in the late 1920s, Wurlitzer, which had sold Victor Talking Machine Co. products well into the 1920s, started slapping their MFG plates/decals onto off-brand models, and sold those instead, or possibly alongside Victor products, or as special sale priced items, as the add I posted indicates.

OrthoFan

[pellicano1]

I know this posting is 10 years old but I recently acquired a Wurlitzer phonograph. The mystery continues!! See photos! Has a straight wooden horn. Heineman 2 spring motor. It took me a while to get the proper tone arm setup but she is now complete! Thoughts?

Link to her in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIY3WW4_wYw

That's very close in style to the "Consolette" model manufactured for Sears and sold under their "Tru-Phonic" brand name. (SEE: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=34622 ) In fact, from what I can tell after looking over various images of Tru-Phonic models, it shares many of the same components.

I also spotted this -- FROM -- https://newspaperarchive.com/piqua-dail ... -1927-p-2/

Wurlitzer Consolette.jpg

My guess would be, sometime in the late 1920s, Wurlitzer, which had sold Victor Talking Machine Co. products well into the 1920s, started slapping their MFG plates/decals onto off-brand models, and sold those instead, or possibly alongside Victor products, or as special sale priced items, as the add I posted indicates.

OrthoFan

Thats Awesome!! Thank you so much for posting this ad!!